Dons Legend's A Don

FORMER Aberdeen legend Alex McLeish has been honoured by the University of Aberdeen at its summer graduation ceremony today.

The former Dons captain and Gothenburg legend has been awarded a Doctor Honoris Causa.

A member of the Scottish Football Hall of Fame, Big Eck made nearly 500 league appearances for Aberdeen in his Dons career, exactly 335 of which were during the trophy-laden 80s glory years.

He was part of the team that won the European Cup Winners Cup, Super Cup, three league titles, four Scottish Cups and two league cups from 1980 to 1989, and he captained the club to the Scottish Cup in 1990.

The distinctive centre-half also won 77 Scotland caps during a glittering playing career making him the Dons second-most capped player ever.

McLeish then had management spells at Motherwell and Hibernian before spending some time out of football.

He returned to manage the Scotland team that agonisingly failed to qualify for the finals of the 2008 UEFA European Championship from a group containing World Champions Italy, runners-up France and semi-finalists Ukraine.

However his time in charge will always be remembered for the glorious 1-0 victory over France at the Parc des Princes.

"We are proud Alex McLeish has agreed to accept an honorary degree," said Professor Stephen Logan, senior vice principal of the University of the Aberdeen.

"As captain of Aberdeen FC and as a Scottish international he always led by example, and he carried on that winning mentality into his career in management."